Why Choose Carbon Fiber Over Steel?

The use of carbon fiber as a building material is becoming more and more common. While this increases the popularity of carbon fiber, it also drives down the cost and rarity of carbon fiber products. Still, some purists might insist that steel is the superior engineering product. Why choose carbon fiber over steel? What exactly are the benefits of using carbon fiber in construction, manufacturing, and other productions?

1. Steel is considered to be the benchmark for strength. After all, Superman was known as the “Man of Steel,” wasn’t he? Perhaps it’s time for a new superhero—Carbon Fiber. Carbon Fiber is much stronger than steel, meaning it has a high resistance to deformation. Both steel and carbon fiber are stiff and can withstand high-stress applications, but what makes carbon fiber “stronger” is that it is less dense than steel and weighs about five times less, making it five times stronger. To retain strength but reduce the weight of an object, carbon fiber is the superior product choice.
2. Carbon fiber is corrosion-resistant, unlike its metal counterpart. Though epoxies used with carbon fiber might react with their environment, carbon fiber filaments are chemically stable and will not oxidize or react to elements around it.
3. It is true that manufacturing carbon fiber is more costly than steel, considering carbon fiber’s strength, durability, and usefulness, the costs pay for themselves over time. Not having to do repairs or fix failing structures saves money in the long run, perhaps not for the supplier, but for society as a whole.

With all these similarities and differences, the real benefits depend on the application in which the product is used. Innovators are finding new ways to incorporate carbon fiber into our world, but there is no doubt that both carbon fiber and steel will be valuable resources for years to come!

Reach out to us at Carbon Fiber Support if you’d like to learn more about how to integrate carbon fiber into your construction projects.